Along The Way
by Summertime-Snow
Summary: AU. Living in the Zombie Apocalypse was hard. Sebastian wants two things: To survive, and to find a companion who will help fill the aching hole left by those he's already lost. When runs into an old friend, can he kill two zombies with one bullet?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Thanks for trying to give this story a read. I know this is listed under Sebastian and Santana, but I think I'll tell you in advance that Santana doesn't appear until Chapter 2. Instead, there is some Sebastian x Quinn in this! (There will be throughout the whole story, really, but I don't want to give away too much so I'll leave it at that for now.) I guess you could say this chapter is a bit of a preamble to introduce the setting and situation. That being said, I hope you enjoy this fic!

Chapter One: Pilot

He jolted into a sitting position with such speed that he very nearly fell off the couch, catching himself on the edge of the mahogany coffee table just in time. His other hand instinctively flew towards his left hip, where his trusty 9mm pistol was always kept tucked into the waistband of his jeans. He was just beginning to panic as his fingers came into contact with nothing but his prominent hip bone through the thin cotton of his shirt, when he realized that the gun was on the floor by the sofa, right where he had left it before his mid-afternoon nap.

He sighed and dragged his hand across his face as he carefully assessed his current situation through the fog of sleep that was clouding his brain. Judging from the glaring sunlight shining blindingly through the windows, it was about sunset. He couldn't be bothered rifling through his mess to find his watch. Not that it mattered – things were exactly the same as they had been for the past five weeks.

Since the first wave of the apocalypse had struck four months ago, the human population had plummeted. The survivors managed to get by for the next two months, but when the second wave struck the government had decided to step in. Their involvement had done more harm than good, further reducing the population by - well, a lot.

He was one of the extremely rare few that had survived both waves of the pandemic as well as the government's intervention. He had lost all of his companions at different stages along the way. He had been completely alone for the last seven weeks.

Living in the Zombie Apocalypse was hard.

The hunger, thirst and heat were one thing, but the complete lack of companionship was really beginning to eat away at him. After not having had a decent two-way conversation with someone not trying to eat his brains for so long, he really began to worry that he was gradually losing his sense of humanity. It had reached the point where he began to fear that should he ever find another non-infected human, he wouldn't remember how to engage in a social conversation, or unknowingly defy all rules of social etiquette while attempting an innocent interaction. Like talking.

"Pfft. Right. Not gonna have to worry about this for quite some time now do we, Sebastian." He scoffed aloud. Getting off the couch, he stretched out his stiff muscles with a loud yawn and walked towards the kitchen.

"What's for tea today Sebby…" he mumbled to himself and let his voice trail off as he selected a can of tinned peaches from the larder. Cracking open the top, Sebastian dipped his fingers into the thick syrup and scooped out a slice of the preserved fruit, bringing it to his parched lips. He strode out to the balcony, leant against the railing and watched the sun make its slow descent across the clear pink and orange sky.

* * *

><p><em>Sebastian Smythe had it all. Dashingly good-looking, intelligent, charismatic and athletic, he aced in everything life threw at him. He seized opportunities and at the worst of times, made his own. <em>

_To say that he was popular in high school was a colossal understatement. The talented star of both the Soccer and Lacrosse teams, the charming Honours student who achieved countless distinctions in multiple Olympiads and the talented singer and dancer heavily involved in the school's performing arts programme (He played the male lead for four consecutive years of the school's annual musical – It became rumoured that the school board had changed the Musical from a biennial affair to an annual one just for him). _

_But despite all his achievements, Sebastian remained humble and kind. Teachers adored him, his peers admired him and everyone as a general who knew him saw him as the charming young man who would accomplish great things in his life. The list of girls (and boys) that had a crush on him went for miles and every Valentine's Day his locker would practically overflow with letters and flowers of adoration. But everyone knew that the effort they had painstakingly put behind every scripted profession of love was in vain - for Sebastian had Quinn._

* * *

><p><em>Quinn Fabray was the shy freshman who transferred to the school halfway through Sebastian's sophomore year. She managed to skim through the semester fairly unnoticed – people registered her presence but she was forgettable enough. She was just an average girl, in an average school, in an average town. <em>

_Only she wasn't. Quinn had always been ambitious and determined. She had set her goals on studying journalism in Columbia University, and nothing was going to get in her way. _

_She often studied late into the night, then oversleeping the next morning and leaving the family mansion for school in a rush. She hardly ever bothered with fancy outfits or makeup, since she believed that school was for studying and nothing else. The cold seasons were arriving when she joined the school, hence her everyday outfits comprised mostly of oversized sweaters, jeans, beanies, mittens and sneakers or boots – neutral clothing that kept her warm and prevented drawing any unwanted attention to herself. Her wavy dark blonde hair was always worn in either a messy bun or braid since she never bothered to style it in her haste to leave the house, and thick-framed glasses hid half of her face. In other words, Quinn had mastered the art of being a wallflower. She was quiet, reserved, yet observant and intelligent. She would be found in the school library on most days after school, poring over books and model essays and meticulously jotting down notes. It was on one of these days that she met Sebastian._

_Quinn knew who he was, of course. It was hard not to when all her teachers and peers were always singing endless praises about one Sebastian Smythe. Heck, on her first day in the school, there happened to be an assembly and the Principal had spent a full fifteen minutes raving on in excruciating detail about the Lacrosse Team's outstanding sudden-death triumph over the school's long-time rivals to take home the trophy. Mr. Hillsborough had paid special attention to the fact that the winning point was scored by none other than the gifted young captain of the Team - Sebastian. She had watched with disinterest as a tall junior with a pleased but somewhat-sheepish grin was welcomed on stage and mentally noted the collective longing sigh from majority of the female (and some of the male) student population. Quinn had rolled her eyes and gone back to studying the school map, planning her route through the unfamiliar halls to get to her classes and tuning out Sebastian's thank-you speech. She had seen enough of Jocks and their often oversized egos._

_Over time, however, Quinn caught simple gestures which made her rethink her initial judgment call on the boy – He was polite and mature, not rude and childish. He was intelligent and witty, not stupid and bawdy. He was diligent and humble – he studied hard and was never cocky or arrogant. She once saw him walking down the hallway with his nose buried in a copy of _Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban_, completely oblivious to the annoying group of acquaintances which followed him around like parasitic creatures leeching off his popularity. He was utterly absorbed in the book, which made her smile a little to herself. In that moment it had seemed like Wonderboy was really just a normal teenager after all._

* * *

><p><em>A particularly harsh thunderstorm had struck one late-November day. Quinn was in the library researching on her double-credit History project, but had encountered a dead end. Even though the assignment was only due in a few weeks, she had refused to go home until she found a solution. The pile of reference books on the antique wooden desk was reaching a dangerously unstable height when she finally accepted that her brain was absolutely incapable of taking in any more information under the given circumstances. She had been at it for three straight hours and desperately needed a break. Battling her imminent migraine, she hastily grabbed her satchel and folders and left the warm building in search of a good, hot cup of strong coffee to clear her mind.<em>

_Juggling a heavy stack of textbooks and folders, Quinn turned a corner only to run smack into a tall figure._

"_Shit." Quinn swore in a hurried breath as she knelt down to gather all the loose sheets of paper that had previously been sandwiched between the heavy book covers. "I'm so, so sorry; I wasn't watching where I was going and I just spent the last three hours arranging these and damn it. Crap. Now everything's a mess and I'm sor-"_

_Her ramblings were cut off when Quinn felt the weight of a strong, warm hand rest on her forearm. She looked up, flustered and prepared to receive a lecture from the person she had just unceremoniously attacked, only to find herself face-to-face with none other than Sebastian Smythe. He was watching the flurry of emotions – penitence, surprise, confusion, and finally, embarrassment - race across her face with an intrigued smile tugging at the corners of his full lips. _

"_Hey, it's alright. I should be the one apologizing for not looking out." He said, grinning playfully. _

_Though Quinn had never really paid much attention before, she knew fully well what the school thought of this boy's physical appearance. But now, seeing him up close… well, Quinn had to admit that he was undeniably attractive. As he gathered the rest of her books from the ground, she noticed his high cheekbones and the straight line of his nose, his dimples and the faint laugh lines around his eyes. His dark chestnut hair was tucked into a navy blue beanie, apart from a few loose bangs which now rested diagonally along his brow. His sea green eyes, framed by thick lashes, contained a mischievous sparkle that matched his amused expression. _

"_Here you go. I think that's all, though I am sorry the order was messed up. You have really pretty handwriting, by the way."_

_Sebastian's smooth, gentle voice had snapped Quinn back to her senses and she realized she had been staring. Blushing, she promptly averted her gaze and took her books back from Sebastian with a mumbled "thank you"._

"_No worries at all. Do you need help rearranging those notes back? It's the least I could do after my carelessness caused you to throw three hours of work down the drain."_

_Quinn had blinked at him in surprise. The most popular boy in school was being nice to her? That was a first. People like him generally didn't care the slightest about people like her._

"_Earth to..." he sneaked a look at her textbook "Quinn?"_

"_O-okay" Quinn had managed to choke out through her shock. "But I was just.. uh.. I was just heading out to take a coffee break since my brain can barely even function anymore and I need the caffeine boost and I-"_

"_Great. I could use a cuppa myself. Ever heard of Estelle's Coffee House? It's just a five minute drive from here. The coffee is fantastic and the atmosphere there is really warm and cosy. We can sort your stuff out there." Sebastian beamed, inadvertently exposing a row of perfect white teeth._

_His smiled faltered when he took in the hesitant expression on Quinn's face. He had mentally kicked himself when he realized he had just asked a girl he'd met literally two minutes ago to grab a coffee with him. Of course she looked nervous. He might be some creep for all she knew._

"_Only if you want to, of course." He added gently. "I didn't mean it as a... date, or anything. Just as a proper apology to ease my guilt. I promise I'm not a stalker." _

"_Well, you would have told me that even if you were a stalker, now wouldn't you?" Quinn replied, and Sebastian felt relief wash over him as her uncertainty was replaced by amusement._

"_Very true." He admitted in mock defeat._

_The sounds of their laughter combined with the steady howling of the wind outside, harmonizing into a lovely symphony which broke the silence of the library._

"_I'm Sebastian." He said, extending a hand_

"_I know." She replied, taking his hand. "Quinn."_

"_I know." He repeated, gesturing to her textbook._

_With a renewed fit of laughter, they shook hands._

_Unbeknownst to either one, the prologue of their story had just been written._

* * *

><p>With a final slurp of syrup, Sebastian crushed the now empty tin in his hands he chucked it off the balcony where it was claimed by the tangle of branches from a dead shrub five stories below.<p>

Next on his agenda – Target Practice.

He dumped a few spare magazines for his pistol and ammunition for his sniper rifle into a duffle bag. After some consideration he added one of the precious remaining bottles of water and a packet of crackers into the bag too. Slinging the bag over one shoulder, he grabbed the sniper rifle from the top of the cabinet and left the apartment without a backwards glance.

Sebastian first climbed the staircase to the roof of the apartment building. He reckoned that at some stage, it was probably a roof top garden of sorts - the empty toppled flowerpots, their vibrant painted exteriors concealed by thick layers of dust. The scaffolding of an uncompleted greenhouse was in the far corner opposite the huge, broken satellite dish.

Dumping the bag on a lawn chair, he balanced the sniper rifle on its bipod on the parapet of the roof, positioning himself comfortably and scanning the ground twelve stories below him through the scope.

He singled out a target. He squeezed the trigger.

Bingo.

The single bullet flew straight through the putrid, green-tinged flesh, leaving a clean puncture wound on either side of the creature's neck where the bullet had entered and subsequently exited. Grabbing desperately at its throat with loud moans of pain, the zombie keeled over sideways and collapsed in a broken pile, a gooey black substance beginning to seep from the wounds.

One was all it took. The cries and stench of a fresh kill soon attracted at least four more creatures within the next few minutes. Sebastian dealt with them with four more shots.

After about half an hour of shooting, he checked his watch – 6.02 p.m. There were surprisingly few creatures on the prowl. Usually around dusk their numbers increased dramatically as they preferred the cool evening air to the scorching heat of the sun. As he pondered over the unnervingly small number of undead roaming the streets, Sebastian took a few sips of water and munched lightly on a few of the crackers.

After a while, he gave up and decided to head back to his room. After packing his belongings back into the bag, he walked into the staircase landing and began the seven-storey descent back to the apartment he had been calling home for the past five weeks.  
>He had grown quite attached to it, actually. He had come across it while making a rest stop before continuing his pointless journey to nowhere.<p>

* * *

><p>After the incident, Sebastian knew he had to get away. He didn't care where to. He just needed to escape. Escape from the past events which threatened to destroy him from the inside out. So he had wandered. For two weeks, he had lived each day through a hazy numbness, feeling nothing. He had no appetite, (the stench of death in the air took care of that) so he ate and drank just enough to survive. His mind was a blur, so he slept just enough to curb his physical exhaustion. But that didn't stop the nightmares. While on the move, he had killed more creatures than he could count, but it wasn't like he was keeping track. He never stayed at any one place for more than a few days.<p>

It was on a hot, cloudless summer day; the sun scorching mercilessly on his sweat-soaked back, that Sebastian had finally come to his senses. It had been two days since he last slept and was absolutely worn out. The numbness was receding and the effects of built-up thirst, hunger and exhaustion over the past two weeks were hitting him like a freight train of pain. Darkness was falling and he needed a safe place to settle for the night before he collapsed from fatigue in the open, completely vulnerable and exposed.

So he had entered the nearest building – an old, solid brick structure with a few concrete steps leading to the twin wooden front doors – vaguely registering the words "Oakrigde Apartments" spelt out in bold brass letters on the building's front. The doors were shut, but unlocked. This was a good sign that the apartment complex was hopefully creature-free – they weren't quite smart enough to learn how to open doors – and Sebastian was not disappointed in this regard. The building was deserted, with no additional stench of decomposing flesh.

Too tired to do anything else, he had climbed a few flights of stairs until he felt far enough from the ground to be safe, picked the lock of the nearest door and stumbled in. After a quick check that he was alone, Sebastian had thrown himself on the bed and was immediately consumed by the lulling blackness of sleep.

When he awoke a full day later, he found a renewed sense of vigour in him. Maybe it was the bright, cheery décor of the flat. Perhaps it was the sunlight that streamed through the wooden slats of the blinds, warming up the room. Possibly, it had been the children's colourful toys that littered the living room floor. But somehow, it motivated him. It brought him hope.

He could do this. He would do it for her. He had proceeded to eat as much as his shrunken stomach would hold, making up for the three days he had starved himself. Sebastian then spent the rest of the day going through the rest of the apartments in the building, making trips back and forth to stock up his apartment with all the useful supplies he could find. Food, water, soap, batteries, rope, guns. Especially guns.

Over the next few days, he had built up enough strength to venture out of the safe confines of his new home. He made short trips during the hottest part of the day, when Zombie activity was low, to go searching for supplies from shops and other houses. Part of him yearned to find a companion, but over the last few months Sebastian had pretty much given up on that wish.

During his five week stay at the Apartment, Sebastian had eaten well, worked out and gotten strong. He tapped back into his athletic roots and practiced shooting, combat, agility - skills that would get him through the apocalypse. He was in the best shape of his life.

* * *

><p>As he descended the final flight of stairs to the fifth floor, Sebastian decided that as sad as it may be, a fact was still a fact - the apartment was the best thing that had happened to him in the past few miserable weeks.<p>

So imagine how his heart sunk when he found the door ajar, with no less than ten undead bodies staggering around the small cheery room, destroying the positive atmosphere and marring it with death.

What had been his sanctuary and safe haven was now his own personal hell.

* * *

><p>Up next: As we find out a little more about the incident that's been affecting him so badly, Sebastian has a run in with an old friend...<p>

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thanks for reading... This is my first ever fanfic so I do apologize for any flaws. I love zombie fics and Sebastian is probably my favourite Glee character at the moment (: And Santana, of course. I will be introducing some other glee characters throughout the length of this story and I hope you support the way I do. I'm always open to suggestions though. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note**: Hello everyone! Sorry I've been MIA on this story... I've been focusing more on my other Sebtana AU fic, _Thick as Thieves_ and even that has been ignored a little lately cos I've been so damn busy with school work. I could apologize for ages but I'm hoping you understand. I'm so sorry._

_Once again, please do leave a review if you can, they give me warm fuzzies(: Thank you so, so much for reading and I hope you enjoy this installment!_

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Two: <span>Acquaintances

Looks like the brainless creatures had discovered the art of opening doors after all.

Sebastian immediately pressed his back against the wall, ducking out of sight and hoping that he wasn't seen. His pistol was already in his hand, the motion of grabbing it had become second nature to him.

His heart was racing, adrenaline coursing rapidly through his veins. However, he forced himself to think things through before delving into the bloodbath. He weighed his options, considering the situation.

That Sebastian had to enter the apartment was a given – all his belongings were in there. He would have to take out the creatures, salvage what he could and go. It was just a matter of what essential items he could pack before the sounds and smells of his recent kills would attract a whole platoon more of their kind. He could never return to his home again.

"Fuck." He swore under his breath, setting the bag silently on the floor and rifling through the contents, grabbing a few magazines and stuffing them into his pockets. "Fuck fuckity fuck fuck."

Sebastian leaned his head back against the wall and shut his eyes. With a final gulp of air, he turned to face the open door. Pistol raised, he fired three consecutive shots, each one finding their targets in three Zombie skulls. The gunfire drew the attention of the rest, which raised their grotesque heads to look at Sebastian with deadened, cloudy eyes.

* * *

><p>"<em>I don't care what you say, my gun was faulty."<em>

_Sebastian was sulking. Just a little. Quinn was giggling at him with a condescending smile on her face._

"_Of course, Sebby, of course." She cooed, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him through her impossibly long, curly lashes. "We'll try again another time, then you can use the pink gun and I'll use the blue okay?"_

_Sebastian looked down at the pair of huge green doe-eyes face gazing at him intensely, the adoration clearly displayed in them. He could never stay upset at Quinn for long. Not when she was making that face with her chin pressed against his chest, anyway. He smirked, and squeezed her gently back, only to pick her clean up off the floor and spin her around in a circle._

_She squealed in surprise, her legs kicking up behind her as she laughed. As he set her back on her feet, he held her close, refusing to release her from his hold as she squirmed and pounded at his chest with her fists._

_When he finally let her go, she smacked him on the arm. _

"_Jerk." She scolded, though they were both laughing too hard to be bothered by it._

"_Well that's what you get for beating me in _House of The Dead 4_." He said. "No, wait, you didn't beat me. My gun wasn't working properly."_

"_Yeah, yeah, for five straight rounds." Quinn retorted. "Whatever you say."_

"_And I say I'm right. Shall we go get lunch?"_

"_Of course, Mr Smythe."_

"_Then let's away, Ms Fabray."_

_Joining hands, they left the arcade smiling, never in their wildest dreams expecting that the horrors from the shooting game they had just played on a date were foreshadowing the terrors their future held._

* * *

><p>Sebastian had to think and act fast. The creatures were converging on him, dragging their feet along the wooden floors and leaving trails of blood and bits of decaying matter.<p>

These apocalyptic Zombies weren't the cute ones from games like Plants vs Zombies, no. These were the three-dimensional, live-action figures extracted straight from the darkest of nightmares. They were all in various states of decomposition, with pieces of dead flesh dangling off exposed bones, maggots wriggling in open, septic wounds. An array of revolting substances emitting the foulest of stenches oozed from the exposed bits of muscle and bone.

It was a nauseating sight indeed, but Sebastian was used to it. Of course, he avoided being close-range to them as much as possible, but desperate times like these call for desperate measures.

This was what he was trained for, anyway. What he had spent the last few months perfecting. The only thing the Zombies had on him was numbers – Other than that they didn't stand a chance. Before too long, ten broken corpses lay in crumpled heaps around the apartment.

Sebastian sprung right into action, running into the bedroom and yanking open the closet with more force than required. He raided through the hangers briefly, selecting a green hoodie and a black leather jacket. He layered them over his white T-shirt. He might need them wherever it was he was headed. Sebastian then pulled out a backpack from the back of his closet which was pre-packed and ready to go in case of emergencies like this. In it were some spare clothes, a few bottles of water, a bunch of protein bars and jerky sticks and a pistol identical to his usual with spare ammunition. Slinging the backpack it over his shoulder, he crossed the room in a few strides and looked out the French windows of the bedroom.

As he had expected, a whole swarm of creatures were converging on the building. Close to a hundred of them, by estimate. The sun had almost disappeared beneath the horizon; the only lighting left was a dim bluish-gray shadow, which did nothing to enhance the situation.

"Shit."

Sebastian grabbed a large duffel bag from the top of the closet. He moved around the room briskly, gathering items that would be useful or held some form of sentimental value. A few T-shirts. Underwear. Another pair of jeans. A fleece blanket. Two large towels. A complete first aid kit. Extra bandages and iodine solution. His wallet. A small photo album. His laptop. A portable radio/communicator. An antique pocket watch that had stopped working years ago. A small, intricately designed, ornate locket. A grey leather-bound book, that was dog-eared and worn.

He retrieved the bag he had left by the front door and did the same in the kitchen. Tins of canned tuna and fruit. More bottles of water. A box of knives. A bag of dried fruit. Two bottles of vodka. A lightweight metal pot with a lid. A box of medication. The machine gun and a belt of its ammo from the top shelf of the pantry. A jumbo box of matches and a packet of wax candles.

Carrying the three heavy bags, Sebastian stumbled out the front door and ran down six flights of stairs to the basement. Thankfully, he was quick enough to not have encountered any creatures along the way. But they were getting closer. Fast.

Pulling open the unlocked door of his jeep, Sebastian haphazardly threw the bags into the passenger seat, shut the door and was speeding back up the stairs to the apartment.

He pulled the tablecloth off the wooden dining table and lay it flat out on the floor. On top of it, he threw the remaining bottles of water, and then began retrieving firearms from around the room. A sniper rifle in its case from under the couch. The double-barrel shotgun propped up against the verandah wall. The machine gun from under the bed. The shoebox containing three pistols from the chest set. Finally, he opened the ammunition drawer and emptied the whole lot onto the pile.

Grabbing all four corners of the sheet to form a sack of sorts, Sebastian tried to heave it over his shoulder. Tried.

Fuck, it was heavy.

In the end he resorted to half-dragging, half-heaving the sack across the landing. It was far too slow for his liking. Still, he had no choice. Eventually, he made it to the top of the stairs and proceeded to drag the sack down the concrete steps. The contents made a muffled thud down each step, with the soft sloshing of the water bottles.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

That was when he heard it. The muffled sound of garbled movement, uncontrolled scrambling. The mangled moans. Then the smell hit him.

The thumps weren't just from the weapons. They were footsteps. The creatures were on their way up the stairs, blocking his only exit. The only way past them, was through them.

So be it.

Gasping for breath and limping into the driver's seat, Sebastian started the engine and braced himself as the garage door opened. He barely heard the loud rumble of the motor as the door was being raised over the pounding of blood against his ear drums. After the fast-pace of the evening, the slow, steady raise of the metal door seemed out of place. It was like watching the curtains of a stage raise on the opening act.

* * *

><p><em>This was it. The closing number. The final curtain call. Running on stage with the rest of the cast and crew, with the widest grin plastered across his face, was the male lead Sebastian Smythe. The male and female leads stepped forward to take their customary bow. Turning to face Rachel, he hugged her tight and kissed her cheek, whispering a thank you in her ear. They had yet again led the production through seven sold-out shows, proving another successful year for the school's rapidly developing drama and arts programme. <em>

_Pulling away from their embrace, Sebastian looked down at Rachel's expression and rolled his eyes. Of course, trust Rachel Berry to be teary-eyed and emotional. Though this year it was comprehensible – It was Sebastian's senior year and herefore their final year of being stage partners._

_He had first gotten known her in his sophomore year. The petite, dark-haired freshman had all but strutted into auditions and after blowing everyone away with her voice, demanded the role of the female lead. Annoyed as the committee was with her diva attitude, they had to admit that she was the best they'd seen. Rachel had talked non-stop throughout the committee's discussions under the assumption that the role was hers; rambling on about the great ideas she had for the show with regard to costumes and direction and stage sets. When they finally shushed her to tell her she had gotten the role, she had responded: _

"_Of course. Didn't we decide this five minutes ago? Let's not dwell on the obviousness of that and move on to more important things. There are other details to discuss if the show is going to be perfect. My outstanding vocals are the biggest asset you've got so far, so you would need to work around that because featuring me is what will add massive benefits to the musical. I won my first singing competition when I was five months old. Now I need to know that my male co-star is capable of keeping up with me vocally, therefore I propose that I be present during the auditions. When would those be?"_

_Everyone in the room had stared at her, completely dumbfounded and lost for words. Sebastian fought back a chuckle when he saw Wes' frozen expression, his mouth literally hanging open in pure shock and his gavel suspended a few inches over he table._

"_The auditions for the male roles are right now, actually. I believe I'm up first." Sebastian had announced, breaking the awkward silence of the room._

_Rachel had turned to him then, a blush spreading across her face when she realised who he was._

"_O-of course." She said tersely, before adding "Please tell us your name and class and what song you'll be auditioning with today."_

_It was barely a fair fight between Sebastian and the other boys who auditioned. He was already the shoo-in for the part, seeing as he was one of the main males in the previous year's production. Needless to say, he outshone them all and got the part. _

_That was the first of the three years Sebastian and Rachel had worked together as the leading couple._

_They had gotten along right away. Their stage chemistry was great, their voices complemented each other's well, and there was no denying that that Sebastian Smythe and Rachel Berry were the incredibly talented dynamic duo of the stage._

_Off-stage, Sebastian was quick to establish and explain to Rachel that he saw her as nothing more than a little sister, as she reminded him so much of his little cousin who had died in a car crash a few years back. Upon hearing this, she diminished her crush on him and although initially a little disappointed, agreed that a mutual, platonic relationship would work best for them as actors._

_Of course, shortly after their first encounter Sebastian had met Quinn and Rachel was head over heels for the school's goofy quarterback Finn Hudson, and their friendship had only grown. Sebastian was there for Rachel after every one of the many fights she had with Finn; Rachel helped Sebastian choose gifts for Quinn and pick out outfits for his dates._

_Through the years, along with becoming closer to their significant others, they became closer as friends. Lovers on stage, siblings off. It worked. _

_So when the curtain came down on their final show, their friendship was so true that when the words "I love you" rolled off his lips for the hundredth time on that stage, it was the first time that the words were Sebastian's, not Tony's or Captain Von Trapp's or some character in a show._

* * *

><p>Only when he absently-mindedly licked his lips did he taste the coppery tang of blood. Then he felt the numbing effect of the adrenaline fade, and pain started registering. Everywhere.<p>

Sebastian inspected the gash above his right eye in the rear view mirror. Blood was started to congeal over the wound, but a river of red ran down the side of his face and into the crook of his mouth, which explained the blood he had tasted. A bruise was forming along his left jaw, but otherwise his face was fine.

He didn't dare to check the rest of his body just yet.

The rest of the night had gone by fairly uneventfully, considering what had happened back at Oakridge Apartments. He just drove and drove, not knowing or caring where he was headed. When the pain became too much to ignore, Sebastian finally decided he needed a place to stop. It was still dark out and he just needed someplace safe to park the jeep and shut his eyes for a few hours before the sun was up and it was safer to move on.

Finally he reached an abandoned city; he had no idea where since the signs weren't registering with him. His mind was somewhere else entirely.

The sun was just beginning to clear the horizon when he drove into the multi-storey carpark of what he assumed was once a luxury hotel. Pulling into a lot, Sebastian lugged his backpack over his shoulder, locked the jeep and strode into the lobby. Had he been in a clearer state of mind, whereby his brain was clouded in a mist of shock and exhaustion, he would have noticed some interesting details.

The coffee tables flipped over and arranged into a barricade in front of the elevators doors. The cream carpet ripped up to expose cold cement in areas. A loose wooden floorboard, something sticking out of the abyss beneath it. A broken wine glass, it's slender stem snapped cleanly in two, the carpet around in stained a deep plum.

But all Sebastian had on his mind right now was sleep. Using his torch for light, he climbed a few flights of stairs before kicking a random door open and doing a brief check to make sure it was uninhabited. The Queen bed was neatly made, the room completely untouched and pristine. Just like any other fancy hotel.

Pain and fatigue from the night's events combined in a lethal dose, and Sebastian passed out just as his head hit the cold sheets of the pillow.

* * *

><p>"<em>Come ON guys. I wanna hit the beach NOW!" Rachel squealed excitedly as she ran around the room collecting various items. "We have all the time in the world to unpack!"<em>

_Sebastian just laughed at his best friend's excitement, even more so when her brother grabbed her around the waist and rugby-tackled her onto the bed and proceeded to jab at her sides._

"_Blaine!" She yelled between giggles "You know I'm ticklish! Stop it! Cut it out! Finn! Save me!"_

_Upon hearing his name, Finn dashed out of the ensuite bathroom looking extremely alarmed._

"_Where's the fire?" he asked stupidly._

"_What an idiot" Sebastian thought, averting his annoyed gaze to the floor while Quinn let out a nervous giggle and placed a hand on his chest as she sensed his change in mood. _

_Sebastian had never really approved of Finn. He felt that Rachel deserved so much better than the gangly, dumb jock who didn't appreciate her. He had left her heartbroken so many times, and Sebastian was always left to pick up the pieces over Barbra Streisand movie marathons and countless tubs of Ben and Jerry's. But somehow, on the rare occasions that they were not fighting, Finn managed to make his 'sister' happy, so he tolerated him for her sake._

_Still, Sebastian was far from pleased when Rachel announced that Finn would be joining him, Quinn and Blaine on their short summer getaway._

_The introduction of Finn into the scene had quickly changed the mood of the room. Ceasing the evil laughter, Blaine stopped torturing his sister and straightened his shirt formally, walking back towards Sebastian and Quinn and crossing his arms across his chest. The abrupt loss of everyone's happy laughter left the air ringing with strained silence. Rachel seemed to have sensed this. She smoothed the creases of her dress and pushed up off the bed, skipping over to Blaine and giving him a peck on the cheek. He couldn't help the small smile that crept up the corners of his lips and used his free arm to give his little sister a small squeeze around the shoulders._

"_Okay… so, the beach?" Quinn had piped up to break the silence._

_Everyone agreed in a mumble, except Finn who insisted on staying in the hotel room and watching America's Funniest Home Videos. Rachel looked disappointed, but nothing was going to dampen her excitement of being on a beach vacation with her brother and best friends. _

_Before too long they were all set and ready to go. Sebastian and Blaine decided to just leave their shirts in the room, draping towels across their bare shoulders and adorning shades, and waited by the door in their board shorts. _

_Quinn and Rachel slipped light sundresses over their swimsuits and accessorised with floppy hats and sunglasses. The girls had grown really close over the past few years after Quinn had overcome her initial apprehension at Rachel spending so much time with her boyfriend. However, it hadn't taken her long to understand that Sebastian and Rachel would never be anything more than friends and the girls had become inseparable since._

_Happy as they were to be enjoying their last summer together before Blaine and Sebastian left for college, Sebastian, Blaine and Quinn couldn't help but notice the lingering, disappointed glance Rachel had thrown towards her buffoon of a boyfriend laughing stupidly in the room._

* * *

><p>Sebastian saw the light from behind his eyelids, felt the generated heat a light bulb against his left cheek.<p>

Light bulb… Electricity! He hadn't found any electric source in months.

His eyelids flew open, only to blink back shut sharply from a blinding light shining right at him.

"Jesus Christ." He swore, trying to rub his eyes and get his vision back. When he felt himself unable to move his hands towards his face, he looked around in confusion to find that his wrists were bound to the headboard of the luxurious queen bed. And he was naked, save for a pair of dark boxer briefs.

"What the fuck?"

Sebastian was wide awake at this point. Slowly, the events of the past night flooded back to him. The Zombies attacking his apartment. His injuries –he really felt them now, sore and stinging as ever. Driving blindly into the night. Falling asleep from shock and pain and exhaustion.

But none of this explained his current situation: In a deluxe hotel suite, which was lit up with electric lights, the bedside lamp inches from his face. The curtains were slightly drawn, and from what he could see, there was a huge rainstorm outside. This was confirmed by the low rumble of thunder. Or was that his stomach? He was positively starving. There was no clock, and the grey sky provided no indication of time. The room looked clean and untouched, his backpack thrown in the far corner. His long legs were tangled in the sheets, his wrists secured to either end of the headboard, exposing his bare chest. He didn't like how vulnerable he felt right now.

Experimentally, Sebastian tried shifting his right wrist. Every part of him hurt and he grimaced when the small movement caused waves of pain to throb through him. Damn, whoever did this to him knew their knots – there was no way he could wiggle out of those bonds. He involuntarily let out a small groan of pain when an especially hard tug hit a nerve.

When he heard the humming coming from the bathroom, Sebastian fell dead silent. The voice was melodious and sweet, yet jazzy and rich. It was also strangely familiar. He knew it from somewhere, but the fog in his strained mind refused to clear and it hurt too much to think right now.

He found he didn't need to think after all, for the person whom the voice belonged to stepped out of the bathroom and into his plain sight.

"Santana?"

"Hello, Sebastian."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Ta-dah! I apologize for any mistakes... it's late and my mind isn't quite thinking straight right now haha. Do point them out so I can correct them though! Thanks again for reading (:_


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